


where we belong

by loveinducing



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Gryffindor!Rey, Hogwarts AU, More tags to be added, Slow Burn, Slytherin!Ben
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-10 19:18:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13508082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveinducing/pseuds/loveinducing
Summary: She thought she heard him curse as he flicked his wand above the surface of the potion they were making, clicking his tongue when its color didn't change as quickly as he expected. Yes, perhaps she hadn't added the right amount, or even the right ingredient, but he didn't need to know that."I don't need your help."He snorted."Sure looks like it."





	1. Year I, part one

Life here was _boring._

 

There wasn’t much to do in an orphanage to begin with. The other kids regarded her with distaste at best, slight tints of fear laced in every whisper. Every laugh seemed to echo relentlessly in her mind hours after she tripped, showed up with bags under her eyes at breakfast or was called to Unkar’s office. Yes, she could always go back to her room, get in the bed and search comfort in the countless magazines under her mattress, but there were only so many times she could read pages and pages of highly detailed and complex car blueprints before she could draw the entire thing with her eyes closed. The novelty of the last one she acquired had disappeared weeks ago, and she was reluctant to spend what was left of her small savings on something so unnecessary.

 

After doing the last of the dishes left in the kitchen, Rey started walking towards her room, wincing as one of her hands hit the counter in her haste for leaving that place full of grime and subpar food. If such work didn’t mean earning a few coins from Unkar Plutt, she would have refused altogether. The hours spent scrubbing the floor and grinding away at the mundane chores assigned to her under the wary look of the other kids in the place were not worth such tiny revenue, but there was little else she could do in order to feel like she wasn’t _completely_ wasting her life away in this dump.

 

Soon, school would start again. Soon, she wouldn’t have the time to work for that disgusting man, too busy trying to keep up with the rest of the class.

 

A groan escaped her lips, none too eager to invest her time in catching up with the material. As much as she knew she needed an education to eventually leave this place, it was difficult to let go of the constant feeling of loneliness clutching at her chest no matter where she went. The whispers didn't quiet at class, and she found it all too difficult to actually focus on any explanation.

 

At this hour, the halls were empty. The others had long left the cantine and left to play, read or sleep the day away. Boredom was a dangerous thing. It became all too easy to ignore how alone they were when there was nothing else in their minds.

 

The sound of a door slamming shut startled her, as did the sight of Unkar Plutt leaving his office along with an unknown figure. He had a big grin on his face, yellow teeth fully on display in a way that made her stomach turn. The same way it did whenever they crossed paths as she made her way back to her room after a shower, shivering in her poor excuse of a towel. Rey trembled, taking a step back unconsciously. Perhaps she could go down a different corridor, wait for the beast to go back inside his den…

 

But there was no such luck, as his eyes darted at her. If anything, his grin only grew wider. The man by his side also looked at her, not looking quite so menacing. Still. She wouldn’t - _couldn’t_ \- let her guard down around any associates of this slave driver.

 

“I was about to go look for you. This kind man had a very interesting offer. You’ll be leaving with him after you pack up… whatever you have for belongings.” He announced, his tone firm and final. Rey couldn’t believe her ears, eyes frantically searching those of his companion.

 

Was this it?

 

Was this the day she was finally being _adopted?_

 

As if intimidated by the glimpse of pure hope in the eyes of such a young girl, the stranger averted his eyes from her, suddenly all too interested in the hideous paintings decorating the walls. He was embarrassed, she realized. Her heart skipped a beat as she fought the need to pinch her arm, to slap her own cheek, to hit her head against the wall if that was what it took to confirm that this wasn’t yet another one of her feverish dreams. Another cruel fantasy conjured by her brain in times of weakness.

 

She was _leaving_ this prison. She was----

 

“Hey, kid.”

 

_\----unconsciously holding onto his sleeve._

 

Cheeks flushing, she quickly let go of him. Lost in her enthusiasm, she had completely overstepped her boundaries, and a pang of fear clutched her chest. Had she gone too far? Would he leave her behind now?

 

They all did, in the end.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand ruffling her hair, a rich chuckle resonating in the hallway. All of a sudden, the pressure currently weighing down on her shoulders started to relent.

 

“Go get your things for me, okay? I’ll wait.”

 

For the first time in six long years, Rey beamed.

 

\-----

 

Her head was going to explode.

 

It sure felt like a plausible threat at the moment. Her mind struggled to take in all the information being thrown her way; _you’re a witch,_ he said, _you’re gonna be huge, kid,_ and it didn’t sound like the insult she would usually take it as.

 

As impossible as it all sounded, her protests died on her lips with a flick of his wrist and a whisper from his lips, watching as her backpack levitated effortlessly into the trunk of his car, as if some invisible strings had turned it into his new puppet.

 

_I’m not enough._

 

_I can’t be the special girl you’re looking for._

 

 _I’m_ no one.

 

All the voices in her head could only go quiet in response to the miracle she just witnessed, and she slowly made her way toward it. Shaky hands ran across the surface of her backpack, searching for a reason that could explain what just happened. Anything that would break the illusion.

 

That would prove the fear in her heart _right._

 

There were no stray chords, no wires, no mechanism. She should have known. Anything would have been difficult to conceal under that worn down fabric. Rey swallowed.

 

When she turned around, Han was smiling.

 

“Ready?” He asked, pocketing his wand away.

 

Rey stared at him. Behind her was the only place she’d ever come to know as her home. A roof over her head. Bland but constant nourishment. A small but easy source of income.

 

The constant laughs behind her back.

 

Her despicable _jailer._

 

“...Yes.”

 

She didn’t look back.

 

\-----

 

Their trip to London was uneventful. Han let her choose whatever radio station she desired while they tried to make their way through the traffic, and she couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear as she tried to figure out the damn thing, tiny fingers soon taking over the controls. Soon enough, she found one that had the same cheerful music she could sometimes hear from one of the dorms across the hall, and she turned up the volume. The music was a wonderful companion as the car inevitably stopped moving, caged among others as they neared the city.

 

Looking more proud than she probably had the right to be, she looked at Han, whose lips wouldn’t stop twitching upwards. Feeling a little embarrassed, Rey offered him a shy smile.

 

“Um… where exactly are we going?” The question had been roaming her brain for a while now. Yes, _yes_ , a school for witchcraft and wizardry, she had heard that one already. But where? How?

 

“Hogwarts. That’s where you’ll study. But let’s not be so hasty now, what about your books? Your clothes?”

 

He shook his head, tapping his fingers against the glove compartment as if to prompt her to open it. Rey obeyed. Inside, there was only a letter. One addressed to her.

 

“Go ahead.” He mumbled, hands on the steering wheel. The car moved a few meters before halting again. Curious more than anything, she opened the envelope.

 

The first thing she saw was emerald green ink. It seemed to shine under her gaze, as if whoever had written it had finished mere minutes ago and the ink had yet to dry. Her fingers itched to touch it, but she didn’t dare smudge such delicate and stylized calligraphy.

 

_Dear Mrs. Niima,_

 

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 

_Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,_

 

_Leia Organa,_

 

_Headmistress of Hogwarts_

 

“An owl?!” She didn’t have one. The only pet she could even come close to call her own was a stray cat that she often fed scraps to whenever it came meowing at the kitchen’s back door. Rey didn’t think that counted, but it still made her happy to watch the poor animal eat as she cleaned the space. For a moment, her thoughts went back to it. She hoped it would be able to survive without her.

 

Han cursed under his breath. “I forgot about that.” He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “Don’t worry though. I’m here under direct orders from her, so that’s probably about as good a confirmation as she needs.”

 

“...Probably?”

 

He laughed.

 

“Relax. The only thing you have to worry your pretty little head about is the list of things to get before you leave.” His grin turned into a grimace. Even a 11 year old could tell that shopping wasn’t among his hobbies. Part of her felt guilty from making him waste even more of his time, but there were inconveniences to entering a whole new world, and asking random people in the street didn’t seem a solution here.

 

Despite being all too used to judgemental stares, she couldn’t even begin to _imagine_ the look on their faces when she asked them the way to the nearest wand shop.

 

Perhaps she was past the time of questioning all of this, or maybe some part of her refused to let go of the wonderfully impossible possibility at her disposal. Delusion or not, her curiosity only skyrocketed, and she found herself hastily grabbing the list of items she would need.

 

The first lines didn’t strike her as _magical._ Three sets of black robes, one pointed hat, one pair of protective gloves (now, _that_ made her eyebrows rise) and a winter cloak seemed reasonable enough. The books looked far more promising, and she read each title out loud, sounding out such strange subjects, much to Han’s amusement. Spells, transfiguration, magical herbs, potions; among them all, the only thing that she so much as winced at was called A History of Magic, and not without reason. She sure hoped the magic involved in the events depicted in that book would make it less boring.

 

Phials, a cauldron _(pewter, standard size 2),_ scales and a telescope on top of it all gave Rey the slightly unpleasant feeling that her shopping was going to take _a while_. And, more importantly, a sum of money she couldn’t even fathom.

 

Would they kick her out for not being able to meet the requirements? Would she be forced to come back crawling to Unkar and ask for forgiveness, whatever it might entail?

 

Rey paled, face going as white as a sheet.

 

“I… I don’t have the money for all this.”

 

Her hands turned into fists on her lap, and she sought a distraction by looking out the window. What had been residential areas away from the noise of the city and copious amounts of green had turned into endless lanes and a swirl of colors formed by the clothing of countless faces she wouldn’t remember.

 

Silence.

 

_Then----_

 

“Leave that to me, kid.”

 

Her neck almost snapped from how fast she turned, hazel meeting a deeper shade of brown.

 

His eyes didn’t lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Since this chapter was kind of an introduction of sorts, it's a little bit short. Rey's Magical Shopping Trip™ and her trip to Hogwarts will be next! I'm new to the fandom so I'm a bit lost tbh. Come talk to me on tumblr @loveinducing so I know where the reylos at. Thanks for reading!


	2. Year I, part two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't my plan to update this late, but going back to uni and the new semester have really kicked my ass. It should be fine now, though, so I hope you enjoy this chapter!

The coins in her hand felt weird. Everything from the color to the weight was foreign to her, as pounds were hardly any similar to the galleons, sickles and knuts currently in her possession. Han had patiently tried to explain to her the value of each of them, but the unusual converse values soon made her head spin. She’d figure it out, she guessed… _eventually._

 

There were so many things to do before she left London, he said. It was best for them to hurry and complete every request in the list before long; there was no telling how long it’d take them, and neither Han nor Rey fancied going shopping for hours on end. She sighed. Feeling ungrateful and somewhat guilty for thinking like that as they abandoned the car, the girl made up her mind: she wouldn’t complain.

 

Not even once.

 

It only took Han a couple of seconds to get her poor excuse for a luggage out of the trunk, throwing it over his shoulder as he clamped it shut. The lights of the car flickered, and then he put his keys in the safety of his right pocket.

 

“We’re not far away now. I hope you aren’t too tired, I know that seat can be a pain in the…” He coughed, “very uncomfortable.”

 

Rey shook her head, a tiny smile on her lips. “I’ll be fine. Where to?”

 

Looking as grateful for her discretion as embarrassed for his slip up, Han managed an awkward grin. “This way.”

 

Charing Cross Road was filled to the brim with people as she struggled to keep up with Han’s pace through the crowd. Tall, short, young and old; all as different as they could be, and yet, Rey wondered why the only thing they had in common was a certain haste to their steps, as if they were running late. By the third time a stranger glared at her for accidentally stepping on her very expensive looking stilettos, she thought she probably deserved to be late.

 

So rude. It wasn’t even on purpose!

 

Letting out an offended huff at her back, she almost missed the way the corners of Han’s eyes crinkled in amusement.

 

Soon enough, he stopped walking, facing the wall ahead. Between two beautiful buildings, Rey was surprised to find a rundown shop, its windows dusty and the paint peeled off by what could only be years of abandonment. Her head started aching, awareness slowly pouring into her conscience as she stared at the mirage, frowning. Something wasn’t right. There must had been something more than four ruined walls waiting for them there.

 

 _Magic,_ she thought. Maybe it truly was the answer to all her questions ever since she left Unkar behind. 

 

If she focused hard enough, the walls seemed to go back to being in one piece, and the grime seemed to disappear from the glass in the windows, as if her sight peered into what this building looked like decades ago. Rey gasped. There it was, a truth hidden in plain sight. A bead of sweat ran down her forehead, and Han coughed, effectively breaking her concentration.

 

All too soon, the shop went back to its ruined state before her eyes, and she couldn’t stop a groan of protest from leaving her lips.

 

“You’re too used to looking at things like them. That’s why the glamour works on you. But,“ Han grinned, “you can see through it, can’t you? It’ll get easier, trust me.”

 

“So that… was real?” She asked.

 

“As real as it gets. Come on, let’s go inside.”

 

If the streets were busy and cold, the insides of the pub were warm and noisy, too many conversations happening at once as hearty laughter filled the air. To her right, a man held a cup of coffee in his hand as he read what could only be a newspaper. Nothing out of the ordinary, if only the pictures beneath the headlines didn’t move. Rey tilted her head towards it, trying to get a better look over the man’s shoulder, before quickly following Han’s steps towards the back. 

 

With every step she took, the reality she was suddenly involved in began to take form, leading her away from every doubt she still had. What other explanation was there that could justify the way a waitress dismissed a couple of clean cups with her hand, setting down on their own on the counter behind her? Was there any other way to refill mugs with beer with a single flick of the wrist?

 

_Magic._

 

She could really be part of this fantasy, if Han wasn’t lying. For some reason, she didn’t think he was. 

 

A group of kids that could not be much older than her were playing some card game, hitting the top of the deck with their wands every few seconds. A loud snap made them flinch, and to her astonishment, she witnessed how the whole pile burst into flames. Unaffected by it all, they all laughed, and the deck reappeared before her eyes. She smiled, excited by the display. It looked fun, and she wished she could play.

 

Maybe she’d work up the courage to ask them later.

 

“Han Solo! Loitering around, as usual.”

 

A short woman came up to them, eyes sharp behind her wide goggles. Using a rag to wipe her hands clean, she didn’t so much as look at Han before her attention was on her. She barely came up to her own height, and so Rey found herself staring right into her brown eyes, feeling a bit shy under her all knowing gaze. 

 

“Hey, Maz.” Han mumbled, nodding at her.

 

“And who is this child? A friend of…?” Her eyes narrowed, looking her up and down before shaking her head, as if whatever idea she had couldn’t possibly fit with the image in front of her. Her look softened. “Nevermind all that. What is your name, dear?”

 

“...Rey.” 

 

Maz seemed to take her in completely, from the lack of more appropriate clothing to the confused yet eager look on her face. The old woman hummed, seemingly pleased with her analysis.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Rey. I am Maz, the owner of this place. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?” Her eyes left Rey’s, looking at Han’s instead. By the concerned look she sent him, Rey suddenly felt like she was missing something. Like there was something she did not know. “If you are here…”

 

Han sighed, seeming to deflate in front of her. “I’m well aware.”

 

After considering his answer for a few seconds, Maz shrugged.

 

“You know what you are doing. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

 

\-----

 

By the time the two adults stopped talking, Rey was feeling slightly restless. There were so many phenomenons happening around her, so many unexplainable things that were common to everyone else in the room, that she found herself slightly lightheaded. 

 

And yet, she craved _more._

 

The portraits on the walls had waved at her as she walked past them, and she found herself waving back with a giggle, rosy cheeks growing warmer under the unexpected attention. Now, away from the crowd and the constant inintelligible murmurs back in the pub, she pretended she wasn’t surprised when the bricks on the wall started relocating, giving way to a whole alley.

 

If the way Han’s mouth twitched was anything to go by, she hadn’t been that successful.

 

Pointed hats and elegant tunics flooded her vision, from emerald green to the deepest shade of blue. Shops with everything that had been on her list and more seemed to beckon her to come closer, if only to marvel at their imaginative showcases.

 

“Let’s see that letter, kid. We’ll know where we need to go.”

 

\-----

 

Getting her new clothes turned out to be way less tedious than she expected. The woman in charge, probably used to first year students, had merely given her a look before skipping towards a rack, coming back with a black tunic and a cloak that were her size. In front of the mirror, Rey turned on the balls of her feet, admiring how the material seemed to float around her as she twirled.

 

When she came out of the fitting room, the saleswoman nodded to herself in approval, checking that everything was in order before getting the other two tunics she needed. Before long, she went back to Han, who was patiently waiting outside, and they quietly neared their next destination, her bags in his hands.

 

The books took even less of her time, as did her potions kit, for the employees in those particular shops had taken the time to prepare packs with the required items for every student that came their way. Han took care of paying for each article, and she simply announced what she needed before he pointed to whichever establishment they were supposed to visit in order to obtain them.

 

Each time the gold, silver and bronze colored coins left his hand, Rey couldn’t help but wonder if it really was okay. After she finally dared to tell him she’d repay him, Han ruffled her hair and told her that the money wasn’t his to begin with.

 

A scholarship, he said. Whatever was left of the money after they were done with the shopping was hers to do as she pleased for the rest of the year. The concept of inheriting such a sum of money in exchange for doing nothing was a strange concept for her, and she refused to let their trust go to waste. In her chest, her heart burned with newfound resolve.

 

She would become a wonderful witch.

 

\-----

 

All that was left was the wand.

 

“Don’t worry if the first one doesn’t listen to you. They have a mind of their own, those whimsical sticks. If it doesn’t work, just try another.” Han said, his free hand ushering her into their last stop. The door closed behind her, separating them once more.

 

Shelves taller than she had ever seen kissed the ceiling, filled with countless boxes. The smell of dust tickled her nose, and when it became too much to bear, Rey sneezed. The sound caught the attention of the old man behind the counter, and his beady eyes seemed to devour what was left of the text on the parchment before him before he looked back at her. She idly wondered what the wand of a wand shop owner looked like. 

 

Were they more free to choose their life companion? 

 

 _Probably not,_ Rey thought.

 

Swallowing, she approached the counter, her eyes still all too busy and interested in her peculiar surroundings. She sincerely hoped those shelves weren’t as close to collapsing on them as they looked.

 

Already rummaging through the shelves, as if looking for a specific box, the man’s voice reached her ears. “Welcome. Give me a second. Ah, yes.”

 

Nimble fingers took a hold of one, and Rey stared hard at it, confused. She couldn’t make out what made that box different from the others. Had he memorized the location of each article in his store? She frowned, making sure his back was still to her. That just seemed too difficult.

 

She didn’t have time to look for any tags that might help her understand the complexity of such an act, as the man turned to her, holding out a wand in his hands.

 

“Chestnut, dragon heartstring, eight inches. Let’s start trying things.” He said. It was only after his look started to have an impatient tint to it that she realized she was supposed to hold it.

 

Feeling both intrigued and shy in front of the shopkeeper, she drew a small circle in the air, hoping it would suffice. Apart from a slightly unpleasant feeling in her hand, nothing happened. It didn’t belong there, she realized. He clicked his tongue, and she put the wand back into its case.

 

“Not that one.” Without pause, he pressed a different case into her hands. “Elm, phoenix feather, ten and a half inches.” Wordlessly, she waved it.

 

Nothing.

 

Rey could already feel it. They were going to be here for a long time.

 

\-----

 

She could barely see the surface of the counter anymore; it was all covered by piles and piles of cases that contained wands they had already tried. Even though the shelves still looked as full of possible choices as they did in the start, Rey was starting to lose all hope. Whenever the owner left her sight to go get yet another option, she stole a look at the door, nervously hoping Han wasn’t getting too tired of waiting.

 

“Cedar, unicorn hair, nine inches.” If he was as bored as she felt, he didn’t let her know.

 

With a sigh, she weighed the wand in her hands, wondering is this one would be any different than the countless others that she had come to know in the past hour. Her right hand trembled slightly as she flicked her wrist, and her eyes widened as a white daisy grew from the tip of the wand. A squeal threatened to emerge from her throat, and she bit her lips as she tried to keep her smile under wraps.

 

The man nodded his approval, and all her efforts were for nothing.

 

\-----

 

Rey had never been to a train station before, nevermind one as enormous as Charing Cross. She didn’t know where to look. Light poured from the beautiful glass panels above them, and a couple of bridges made it possible for people to walk right over their heads. The tracks seemed to disappear into the horizon, endless for all she knew, and she wondered which train was the one she was supposed to take.

 

She had insisted on pushing the trolley herself, refusing to bother Han any further. It had taken an awful lot of convincing, but in the end, he relented, looking none too pleased with it. The trunk on the trolley weighed more than it looked as she pushed it, but she merely pushed harder, being careful not to run anyone over. Her old bag was still inside it, and she didn’t want to waste any more money than she should, but she had quickly realized there was no way her new stuff fit inside it. At Han’s suggestion, she had chosen the cheapest yet sturdy looking trunk on the store, and that was the end of that.

 

Han glanced at the hour on one of the clocks, running a hand through his hair. 

 

“It’s almost time. We need to get to the platform before it’s too late. Better get a move on.” He grinned at her, and for a second she thought he looked younger. “Nervous yet?”

 

She offered a smile of her own. “A bit.”

 

Han chuckled. “You’ll be fine.” He put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner, and they started walking again.

 

From the bridge above, an eleven year old kid with hair as black as the night watched them, his expression cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder who that boy at the end is... lmao 
> 
> This is kind of a slow start, but I really wanted to emphasize how foreign this is to Rey. In the next chapter, we'll get to the sorting ceremony and all of that. 
> 
> References:
> 
>  
> 
> [Exploding Snap (which is what the kids were playing)](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Exploding_Snap)  
>  
> 
> [Wand woods](https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/wand-woods)  
>  
> 
> [Wand cores](https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/wand-cores)
> 
>  
> 
> If you liked it, any feedback is appreciated. Comments give me life. Thanks for reading ♥.


End file.
